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Cross Border Trends
Overview
In Canada, the illicit firearms market is supplied primarily by either smuggled firearms or firearms stolen from private residences or commercial venues. By virtue of its proximity to Canada and differences between Canadian and American firearms laws, the United States is the primary source of firearms - particularly handguns - smuggled into Canada. In the case of the United States, the majority of illegal firearms originate from within the country, although occasionally firearms may be sourced from other countries such as Canada.
There are five primary methods used by criminals and their organizations to acquire firearms from sources in the United States for subsequent smuggling attempts into Canada. These methods are secondary markets (e.g., gun shows, flea markets, and private sales), thefts, straw purchasers 1, Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) that are dealing illegally, and persons who purchase firearms with false identification.
A large volume of persons and goods legally moves across the Canada and United States border through designated ports of entry. Criminal entities may try to exploit this cross-border traffic to smuggle firearms and other weapons into Canada, utilizing a variety of conveyances that include private vehicles, aircraft, commercial vehicles, boats, and other means. In some instances, those conveyances are altered to include specially designed concealment locations.
Illegal firearms are also smuggled across the vast unmanned border areas by individuals carrying contraband items in backpacks and via all terrain vehicles and private vehicles. Criminals also sometimes use a small number of Native American/Aboriginal reserves and/or territories situated on or near the border to move illegal firearms from the United States to Canada and/or as storage locations for subsequent illegal distribution.
The actual number of firearms smuggled into Canada, or vice-versa, is unknown. What is known is that most firearms smuggling attempts involve single firearms, and that seizures of multiple firearms (more than two) primarily involve seizures of handguns.
Statistics show that there have been several instances over the last four years where intercepted smuggling attempts have involved multiple handguns.
Border Firearms Seizures
The vast majority of firearms seizures in both Canada and the United States are effected at official ports of entry, in particular, land border ports. In Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is responsible for firearms seizures at ports of entry. In the United States, this duty falls under the purview of Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Firearms seized by CBSA at land border ports generally fall into two categories: personal weapons of U.S. residents who are carrying them for their own protection or for hunting, or firearms believed to be destined for the Canadian illegal firearms market. More than 82% of firearms intercepted by CBSA were seized at the land border (highway mode). During a five-year period from January 2001 to December 2005, CBSA seized a total of 4,281 firearms, of which 2,698 (63.0%) were handguns and 1,541 (35.9%) were long guns. The remaining 42 firearms were classified as "antique".
CBP reports that the majority of firearms seized at the northern land border ports appear to be personal weapons of United States residents carried for protection or for hunting, suggesting that it is unlikely that the firearms were intended for the illicit firearms market. Primary ports of seizure in 2005 were Sweetgrass, Montana; Detroit, Michigan; and Buffalo, New York. Inbound seizures were represented by refusals/returns by CBSA. Most outbound seizures constituted individuals unwittingly admitting possession of stolen weapons while attempting to cross the Canada-United States border. Many of the stolen weapons recovered were a result of subjects attempting to register the firearms in Canada. It is likely these individuals were unaware of the law, i.e., that all firearms must be declared and registered before entering Canada. Other seizures of firearms were made from convicted felons or subjects under a protection order who were carrying weapons illegally.
Compared to the number of firearms seized at official ports of entry, there are far fewer firearms intercepted in areas between ports of entry. These firearms seizures fall under the mandate of the Integrated Border Enforcement Teams (IBETs). During the period from January 1 to October 31, 2005, IBETs reported only 14 seized firearms on the Canadian side of the northern border.
In the United States, during a four-year period from January 2001 to December 2004, CBP Office of Border Patrol seized 233 firearms, of which 143 (61%) were handguns.
The majority of all firearms seized by CBP Office of Border Patrol were personal weapons that were not destined for the illegal firearms market. CBP Office of Border Patrol reports that larger scale firearms seizures involving more than three firearms are uncommon. However, in two intercepted seizures of firearms headed northbound, the CBP Office of Border Patrol believes that the seized firearms were destined for the illicit firearms market and potentially to organized crime in exchange for narcotics.
1 A "straw purchaser" is an individual who acquires a firearm(s) from a U.S. FFL on behalf of the actual
buyer in order to hide the actual buyer's identity.
